1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses, display processing methods, and computer program product therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, apparatuses, such as copying machines, computers, and personal digital assistances (PDAs) equipped with touch panels as input devices, have increased. With such apparatuses equipped with touch panels, users input instructions by touching display screens with their fingers.
Screens displayed by conventional apparatus, on the other hand, are generally configured in a uniform manner. In other words, display elements that are only used to display something to users, or to display elements such as icons or tabs, through which users input instructions. Such locations are arranged at commonly-used regular positions on the screen. Specifically, conventional screens are generally configured that displayed elements through which the user inputs instructions are arranged generally on an upper portion of the screen.
Accordingly, when operating a horizontal touch panel, it is difficult for a user to operate the touch panel because the upper portion of the screen thereof is far from the user. In other words, with apparatuses equipped with a conventional type of touch panel, it is hard for users to press the touch panel having such a screen layout; operating the horizontal type touch panel is troublesome for users. A user's convenience is not considered.
Furthermore, when using an apparatus equipped with an operation display unit that can be adjusted in the range between horizontal and perpendicular, it is difficult to operate display elements when the display elements are used as input instructions. Especially, if the display elements are arranged on the upper portion of the screen, it is more difficult for a user to operate due to the angle (of elevation) between the operation display unit and the main body.
As described above, with conventional apparatuses, in some cases, the positions of display elements do not meet the preferences of users in terms of use of the apparatus. This causes a problem in that, depending on the intended use of the apparatus, it is difficult for the user to input instructions. (Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-40440)